Firemen respond to two house fires

Two residential fires happened in Thermopolis last week that displaced at least one homeowner and left a dog dead.

One of the fires was located at a residence on Circle Drive and started Friday, January 7 at 11:56 p.m. The other fire was at a residence on Lane 5 and started Saturday, January 8 at 8:16 p.m. 

Thermopolis Volunteer Fire Department Chief Mark Collins said the cause of the fires has not been determined. An investigator from the property owners insurance companies would investigate to determine why they started.

Collins stated the Circle Drive fire resulted in two vehicles being destroyed, the backend of the house being gutted and a deck was burnt up. The homeowner was present during the fire and escaped uninjured. However, a dog did not survive the fire.

Collins added that the homeowner heard a loud popping noise, which turned out to be some ammunition that was exploding in the fire. Collins doesn’t know if the Circle Drive fire is a total loss or not but added, “Anything is fixable nowadays, but it will take a lot of work.”

First responders and the Fire Department were on the scene for about four hours with five trucks in use. Also, the American Red Cross provided shelter, a debit card for clothing, necessities and immediate needs for the homeowner of the Circle Drive residence.

The Lane 5 residence fire was the result of a chimney fire that extended into a pipe chase, which caused flames to reach the house’s attic. No one was injured in the Lane 5 fire and no animals were involved. 

Chief Collins recommends to the public to make sure you clean your chimney every year. Also, he said to burn the proper wood, not railroad ties or garbage. 

The Red Cross also has these recommendations for ensuring fire safety. Be sure to install smoke alarms on every level of your home, inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas. Test smoke alarms every month. If they’re not working, change the batteries. Talk with all family members about a fire escape plan and practice the plan twice a year. If a fire occurs in your home, get out, stay out and call for help. Never go back inside a burning building.